January 5, 2017

97% banned notes said to be deposited in banks in blow to Modi’s black money fight

Indians have deposited nearly all the currency bills outlawed at the end of the deadline last year, according to people with knowledge of the matter, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s drive to unearth unaccounted wealth and fight corruption.

Banks have received Rs14.97 trillion ($220 billion) as of 30 December, the deadline for handing in the old bank notes, the people said, asking not to be identified citing rules for speaking with the media. The government had initially estimated about Rs5 trillion of the Rs15.4 trillion rendered worthless by the sudden move on 9 November to remain undeclared as it may have escaped the tax net illegally, known locally as black money.